Florida is one of the most school-choice-friendly states in America, with over 1.4 million students participating in some form of education choice program. For parents looking to fund online coding classes, game design lessons, or other tech education, Florida offers several powerful scholarship options. This guide explains the three major programs — PEP, FES-UA, and Step Up for Students — so you can figure out which one fits your family and how to use it.
The Three Major Florida Scholarship Programs
1. Personalized Education Program (PEP)
The PEP scholarship provides approximately $8,000 per year per student for approved educational expenses. It is open to all Florida students and functions as an education savings account — parents receive funds on a restricted-use card and choose how to spend them on approved services. As of 2026, the PEP program has reached its 140,000-student cap and is currently waitlisted. New applicants will be placed on a waiting list, but it is still worth applying as slots open throughout the year when families leave the program.
2. Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
FES-UA is designed specifically for students with disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities, speech impairments, and other documented conditions. Awards range from $10,000 to $34,000 per year depending on the student's needs and diagnosis matrix. With over 121,000 scholarships active, FES-UA is one of the largest disability-focused education programs in the country. There is no waitlist for FES-UA — eligible students can enroll year-round.
If your child has a documented disability (IEP, 504 plan, or medical diagnosis), FES-UA is typically the better option. Awards are significantly higher than PEP, there is no waitlist, and the program explicitly covers therapeutic and adaptive educational services.
3. Step Up for Students
Step Up for Students is the nonprofit organization that administers several Florida scholarship programs, including the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) scholarship and portions of the FES program. Step Up handles applications, fund disbursement, and provider approval. If you are applying for any Florida scholarship, chances are you will interact with Step Up for Students at some point. They maintain a marketplace of approved providers and handle the payment process between families and educational service providers.
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Comparing the Programs at a Glance
- PEP: ~$8,000/year, open to all students, currently waitlisted (140K cap)
- FES-UA: $10,000-$34,000/year, requires documented disability, no waitlist
- Step Up FTC: income-based, primarily for private school tuition, lower relevance for homeschool tech
How to Use Florida Scholarships for Coding Classes
Both PEP and FES-UA funds can be used for approved educational technology services, including online tutoring, virtual instruction, and curriculum materials. This means live, 1-on-1 coding classes from an approved provider like Tech Tails are a covered expense. Here is how the process works in practice.
- Apply for PEP or FES-UA through the Step Up for Students portal (stepupforstudents.org).
- Once approved, you will receive access to a spending account or restricted-use card.
- Search for approved providers or request that your preferred provider become approved.
- Book sessions with your provider and submit invoices through the Step Up system.
- Funds are disbursed to the provider, and your remaining balance is updated.
What Can You Pay For?
Florida scholarship funds cover a broad range of educational expenses. Approved uses include private tutoring and online instruction, curriculum and instructional materials, educational technology hardware and software, therapeutic services (for FES-UA), standardized testing fees, and transportation to educational activities. For families interested in tech education, this means you can pay for coding classes, game design instruction, 3D art courses, video editing lessons, and more — all through your scholarship funds.
Why 1-on-1 Online Classes Are Ideal for Scholarship Families
Many Florida scholarship families are homeschooling or using a hybrid education model. Online 1-on-1 classes fit perfectly into this lifestyle because they offer complete schedule flexibility, personalized pacing (no waiting for a class to catch up or slow down), direct instructor attention for the entire session, and the ability to study subjects that local schools may not offer, like game development, AI, or 3D modeling.
At Tech Tails, every session is a live 30-minute Zoom call with a dedicated instructor who has real industry experience. Our instructors come from Disney, Activision, Riot Games, and other leading companies. With FES-UA funding alone, a family could cover 150+ sessions per year — that is three sessions per week for an entire school year.
Tips for Florida Scholarship Applicants
- Apply for FES-UA first if your child has any documented disability — the funding is higher and there is no waitlist.
- Apply for PEP even if you expect to be waitlisted. Spots open throughout the year.
- Keep detailed records of all purchases and invoices. Florida conducts audits.
- Check the Step Up marketplace regularly for new approved providers.
- If your preferred provider is not yet approved, contact Step Up — the approval process for new providers typically takes 30-60 days.
Tech Tails offers a completely free trial class — no scholarship funds needed. Try a session before committing any of your scholarship dollars, so you know exactly what your child will experience.
Florida's education scholarship landscape can feel overwhelming, but the bottom line is simple: if your child lives in Florida, there is almost certainly a program that can help fund their tech education. Whether through PEP, FES-UA, or Step Up, thousands of families are already using these programs to give their kids access to the kind of personalized, expert-led instruction that was previously available only to the privileged few.
